Laser-Raman and FT-IR spectroscopic studies of peptide-analogues of silkmoth chorion protein segments.

Silkmoth chorion, the proteinaceous major component of the eggshell, with extraordinary mechanical and physiological properties, consists of a complex set of proteins, which have a tripartite structure: a central, evolutionarily conserved, domain and two more variable 'arms'. Peptide-analogues of silkmoth chorion protein central domain segments have been synthesized. Laser-Raman and infrared spectroscopic studies suggest the preponderance of antiparallel beta-pleated sheet structure for these peptides, both in solution and in the solid state.